China’s leading chip equipment manufacturer, SiCarrier, has recently showcased a diverse array of chipmaking tools designed to elevate the country’s semiconductor production capabilities significantly.
In the past few years, China’s semiconductor industry has been advancing at an impressive rate, driven by the nation’s determination to reduce external dependencies. Companies such as Huawei, SMIC, and a host of others have contributed significantly to building China’s semiconductor production infrastructure. Yet, SiCarrier, a company reportedly backed by Huawei and specializing in creating chipmaking tools, often goes unnoticed. During the SEMICON 2025 event in China, SiCarrier introduced its latest suite of equipment, signaling its ambition to keep pushing forward.
Highlighting the company’s moves, @zephyr_z9 on Twitter shared insights about SiCarrier’s recent catalog unveiled at SEMICON. This catalog features various chipmaking tools, among them the RTP (Rapid Thermal Processing) systems essential in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. While the lineup includes a wide range of equipment, it notably excludes lithography tools, which may be part of a strategic decision by SiCarrier to maintain a competitive edge. This new range of products targets competition with industry giants like ASML, Applied, and LAM. However, the effectiveness of these tools in the domestic market remains to be seen.
At the event, Du Lijun, President of SiCarrier, expressed confidence in the ability of domestic tools to produce 5nm chips. However, he acknowledged the challenges posed by non-optical technology, which can lead to higher production costs compared to international alternatives. SiCarrier is actively collaborating with SMIC and Huawei to overcome these hurdles. Given China’s strong focus on achieving semiconductor self-reliance, it’s plausible that a significant breakthrough could be on the horizon.
“We might have a path using non-optical technologies, leveraging our equipment to address some lithography challenges,” noted Du Lijun in an interview with Reuters.
SiCarrier’s broader objective is to shift the semiconductor technology balance away from countries like the Netherlands, which currently dominate the supply of chipmaking equipment. Previously, it was reported that the company is partnering with Huawei and the Shenzhen government to develop custom EUV prototypes. These prototypes, centered on laser-induced discharge plasma (LDP), represent an initial step toward China creating its own EUV lithography tools, a crucial component in reaching technological parity with global leaders in semiconductor manufacturing.
